


Leave The Door Open

by risokura



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:01:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27558025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/risokura/pseuds/risokura
Summary: There was no rush to wake up just yet. They would enjoy this brief moment of peace; it had been so long after all. Edelgard/Byleth.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 139





	Leave The Door Open

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, look. I’m actually writing canon. 
> 
> This is a character study of sorts, I guess. A retelling of their relationship through the game, but with some additional things. A weird mix of in-game canon stuff and fanon…supposition? Anyway, yar.

It started with the nightmares.

The first time, when she happened upon Edelgard on a sleepless night. When the moon eluded the grasp of a darkened sky, the stars obscured from view. Byleth’s gaze follows the dark grey clouds that linger overhead and she wonders what in the world could cause the world to feel so… _empty_ on such a night. It’s only when she hears the pleas, the desperate moans of a familiar voice, does she stop in her tracks and pause for a moment. …That was… that was _Edelgard_?

A soft knock on the door. What could possibly be ailing her student at such an hour? Was she being attacked? Is she all right? Edelgard’s hurried and frantic voice only causes more worry, until she let’s herself inside to assess the situation. Her concerned blue eyes comb over Edelgard’s state as she door closes behind her with a resounding click. Just _what_ is Byleth doing up at such an hour?

 _I was restless_. Her answer causes Edelgard to blush… for what reason, she doesn’t understand. Probing questions, Edelgard doesn’t seem to want her to go away. Maybe she wanted the company… _needed_ it after such a horrible dream. What could have possibly been so terrible to cause her to scream in such a way? Perhaps Byleth knows of such things, nightmares of the faceless enemies she’s faced on the battlefield. But, she doesn’t get them very much … if at all anymore. She used to be part of a band of mercenaries; killing was commonplace in the world that she used to know.

They speak of private matters. Things of the past that really have no place in the present … the future. Edelgard dismisses them as if they are nothing—the past _can’t_ hurt her here, can it? Edelgard says to her— _I suppose there’s something in the air tonight_ —and Byleth wonders what truth lives on in her words as she returns to her chambers for the night. Byleth lies awake, staring at the ceiling of her own chambers, as the light of dawn peaks up over the horizon once again. Edelgard is back to form as she begins class, somewhat sleep deprived, that morning. Time moves slowly, the world toils on. They don’t speak of what happened for quite sometime.

They meet again in the dead of night when neither of them can sleep and continue the conversation previously left forgotten. Edelgard speaks wistfully of the sun, calming breezes against her skin. Perhaps the stress of being the sole heir to the Empire is catching up to her again. Her musings descend into melancholia again, as she asks Byleth if she remembers what they talked about the other night? Hadn't she wanted Byleth to _forget_?

When Byleth hears of her talk about her siblings… all of them dying at the hands of people who … _experimented_ on her of all things, Byleth wonders just how hard the princess is working to maintain her calm and untouchable façade. Experimentation … to produce the power of a Major Crest? Byleth finds herself feeling queasy at the thought of it all. Edelgard speaks of her _body_ being cut open—the thought of the sheer violation her student must of gone through as a child, makes her head hurt. And others… they died too for the same sick reason, didn’t they? Perhaps, now, she understands why Edelgard is so steadfast in her morals and ideals. There’s a reason for that after all. But, can one _girl_ really do so much?

As she confesses to Byleth that she _too_ possesses the _Crest of Flames_ , Byleth notices something off in her posturing. A nervous tick causes Byleth’s eyes to drift down to the white gloves covering Edelgard’s hands and she wonders for a moment… what _lies_ beneath them? Edelgard keeps folding and unfolding them over one another, pulling at the satin material as she explains just _what_ she went through all those years ago. Edelgard, always astute and sharp, takes note of Byleth’s gaze and takes a deep breath, stands up straight. They have talked for long enough; they should both retire to their chambers for the night.

A few weeks pass and Byleth finds herself speaking to Edelgard again. She's troubled, but in a different sort of way. The stress of her position never seems to linger in her youthful features, but Byleth can see it in the way that her wide, wisteria colored eyes lose their spark at times. And the nightmares, she had another one last night and she just _can’t_ sleep anymore.

It’s then that Byleth offers her— _Would you like to sleep with me tonight?_

Her wording couldn’t be any worse than Edelgard currently feels. Her student’s eyes widen in surprise at the _thought_ and she shakes her head vehemently. What in the world was Byleth _thinking_? Was she coming on to her? What in the world could she have possibly meant by…

Byleth, somewhat dimwitted and awkward when dealing with people, doesn't quite catch the underlying meaning of her words. Instead, she tries again. Would Edelgard like to share the same _bed_ tonight? Sleep together? Perhaps… having another body in the same bed would calm her down. Let her find sleep peacefully for once, instead of remembering the horrors of her past. _Oh_.

And so they settle in for a night together. Edelgard, a blush on those alabaster cheeks, asks Byleth to blow out the candlelight, and to turn around as she undresses and changes into her nightgown. Byleth obliges, probably realizing that it would be somewhat _improper_ for a princess to engage in this type of behavior after all. Whatever _this_ is. Byleth settles into bed in her usual black shorts and midriff top, keeping her gaze averted and pointed at the wall, until she feels the weight of another body next to hers. Edelgard’s backside is pressed up to her own and neither of them says anything in-between the silence of the night and the chirping of the crickets outside. Crickets. How _fitting_.

Byleth whispers— _goodnight—_ and Edelgard murmurs something that sounds like the same from the other side of the bed. In the morning, Byleth turns over in bed and finds Edelgard _gone_ before the first crack of a dawn.

The pages on the calendar fall from Byleth’s wall and cascade down the river of time as they continue on with their nighttime secret. The soft knocking on Byleth’s door every night when everyone has fallen asleep. She turns away as Edelgard undresses and doesn’t turn around until she feels her settling in on the other side. Sometimes Sothis comes to Byleth in her dreams at night, comments on her new nighttime visitor with a sort of amusement. What have you gotten yourself into _now_?

One morning, Edelgard is slow to rouse. Byleth finds her with her arms thrown around Byleth’s abdomen, Edelgard’s face buried in-between Byleth’s shoulder blades as she tries to hide the sounds of her muffled sobbing. It’s on this morning that Byleth sees her scars for the first time. Long, jagged marks that creep up along her arms from underneath the soft chiffon sleeves of her nightgown. What did they _do_ to you, Edelgard?

She places a gentle hand over Edelgard’s in an effort to calm her down. But, that seems to be the wrong thing to do, because Edelgard is pulling away from her in an instant and rolling out of bed to reach for her dressing gown. The door slams shut with an unceremonious thud, and Byleth is left alone in the silence of her quarters to wonder what in the _world_ just happened?

Edelgard doesn’t meet her gaze as they sit in the lecture hall that morning. Is quick to leave as soon as classes are done. Byleth invites her for a midday treat— _Saghert and Cream—_ one of Edelgard’s favorites. Edelgard keeps her gaze lowered as she appreciates Byleth’s invitation for a meal. They keep the conversation light, don’t discuss what transpired in the hush of dawn. Edelgard comes to her room again that night, eyes the candlelight on Byleth’s nightstand as she blows it out and everything around them is engulfed in darkness. The previous drama of the morning remains forgotten.

Hubert has taken note of Edelgard’s current sleeping arrangements and corners Byleth with questions of just _what_ she is to _Lady Edelgard_? He recounts more of Edelgard’s past, tells her things of the Edelgard’s uncle and father, the messiness of betrayal and sadness that lingers in the young girl’s heart. Hubert relays his own mistrust of Byleth, gives her a warning. _You had best watch yourself around Lady Edelgard… I would hate for things to come to bloodshed, my dear professor._ Byleth takes the warning in stride, merely nods her head in acknowledgement of the threat.

As the days progress, Byleth’s mind starts to wander... thinks of other things pertaining to Edelgard. Those gloves. Hiding herself in the darkness of her room at night as she dresses for bed. Those _scars_ from that one morning. What other scars is Edelgard harboring beneath the pristine black and red uniform that she wears everyday?

On a lazy day, with neither talks of this month’s mission or the mundaneness of lecture plaguing them, Byleth decides to consult with Edelgard for an afternoon chat. She had grown somewhat bored with fishing and gardening for the day—what was her most prized pupil up to?

Byleth finds her in her room, pouring over some tome and making notes, diligent as always. The smile on Edelgard’s face when she sees Byleth is genuine, yet, falters as she stares down at the work currently occupying her desk. Edelgard speaks of her burdens as always. Longing for a day off, to stand unhinged and unencumbered in a free flowing breeze, the sun warming her face. _I wish ...I wish I had the time to gorge myself on sweets…_

The thought of Edelgard actually letting herself go for once … brings a smirk to Byleth’s face. Perhaps the disbelief that crosses her teacher’s face strikes a nerve in Edelgard, because she goes on the defensive the minute she sees it. Byleth’s answer only seems to further infuriate her, as her tone turns curt and her frown intensifies. Had she misread the situation? _Misunderstood_ Edelgard? She recovers, however, and turns the direction of the conversation to other matters.

Edelgard’s expression grows soft as she speaks her next words _—You know, professor ...because of you, I don't have to walk my path alone_. Just what does she _mean_ by those words? Edelgard's loneliness, being untouchable, the darkness of her thoughts… had Byleth really rectified all of that? She had merely offered her bed as a place of solace for the past few months. Thought nothing more of it beyond that. Sometimes… the men in the mercenary camp had done the same. She knew what the comfort of sleeping next to another body could do in times of extreme mental duress… that’s all she had done, _right_?

Edelgard stops coming to her room for a little while. Perhaps the nightmares aren’t plaguing her like they used to? She’s as focused as ever, but there’s a unspoken calm about her. As Edelgard begins her never ending lamentations of her future purpose once again, she pauses and then she says to Byleth— _maybe it’s better to have somebody to rely on … so that you can support and guide each other through the darkness._ Byleth can see a certain wistfulness in those melancholic eyes... was she referring to _her_?

When Jeralt is killed, Edelgard stands by in the distance, not entirely sure what to say or do. Her usually detached and unreadable teacher has grown cold, somber. Her eyes, always red and clouded with thoughts. So unfocused, even when so much lies in wait before them. Edelgard finds her one night, speaks callously to most ears, but Byleth understands the weight of her words. _…Have you curled up in a corner and lost the will to carry on?_ Is this what her father would have wanted? Sothis is in her ear, chiming about Edelgard’s arrogance. But Byleth knows, that in her own way, this was her student _trying_ to offer support. Byleth steels herself, wills the tears to finally stop flowing. She had war to prepare for.

On the night before they depart for Enbarr, Edelgard returns. She tosses and turns at Byleth’s side all night, whimpers of— _no, please, no—_ escaping from her lips as her forehead furrows in fear. Byleth turns on her side, draws her arms around her student and pulls her in close. It’s _okay_. You’re safe. They can’t hurt you anymore. It’s just a nightmare. _Please_ , Edelgard. Just sleep calmly for once.

When she awakens, Edelgard registers her professor’s arms drawn tightly around her and the haze of calm, warm, blue eyes directed down at her. A blush crosses her face in an instant and she gently pushes away. This wasn’t _proper_. As much as she hates to leave this embrace… _no_. She couldn’t do that. Couldn’t let these feelings overwhelm her and cause her to lose the focus of her _true_ purpose. She asks Byleth to turn around as she needs to get dressed. They had to leave for Enbarr and could spare no moment of delay. Byleth’s gaze lingers for a moment as Edelgard, in all her vulnerability, looks up at her teacher with the most pleading of looks. _Please, my teacher, turn **away**_.

Byleth’s eyes descend to those hands—those, _beautiful,_ scarred hands—and then meets Edelgard’s eyes again. Edelgard notices the quick change of her gaze and there’s something unreadable in her eyes as her expression changes. Byleth had noticed the scars… _hadn’t_ she? It was only a matter of time with what they had been doing. But, no. She doesn’t want to talk about these things. Doesn’t want her to see the ugliness that those god damn experiments left her with. _Professor,_ her tone pleading again. Byleth nods her head, turns away at the second request. Now was not the time for questions.

Edelgard is crowned Emperor and Byleth notices a shift in her student. She’s becoming harder… darker. More ruthless in her dealings with the world that surrounds her. To everyone else, she’s still the _same_ Edelgard. But, no. There’s more weight there. The world just keeps _piling_ weight on this poor girl’s shoulders and Byleth wonders how long it will take before she finally breaks.

Her answer comes after she receives the power of the goddess. The events of the Holy Tomb throw her into a manic frenzy and Byleth finds herself slightly panicked in the sudden revelations that come through on that night. Rhea’s, soft and soothing voice, speaking of Byleth reconnecting with the Goddess’ power. And Edelgard, _Edelgard_ , is the Flame Emperor of all things. Rhea’s rage churns her stilled heart. Edelgard’s words cloud her mind. Thorns sprout from beneath her feet and root her to the ground. Which will she choose in this moment?

She stands with _Edelgard_.

Edelgard finds Byleth standing alone in one of the farthest corners of the Imperial provisional camps, lost in her own thoughts of all that has transpired in such a short time. They steal away to speak with one another, there’s been no time to talk in all the insanity of the past few days.

Byleth can _hear_ the anxiety in her voice. A teenage girl, now in command of an entire empire. _…I am the one who is giving all the orders… I’m just anxious. It feels like the weight of this burden is crushing me._ With hesitance, Edelgard asks Byleth if she questions the path she chose to follow. Did she hesitate at all in _choosing_ to follow Edelgard? Byleth smiles the same soft smile as she always does and shakes her head— _No_. How could she?

Edelgard finds herself overwhelmed by the sheer idea that this woman, this mercenary who somehow came to lead them all just a short year ago, could fathom the thought in supporting her _war_ with all of Fodlan. There is a question on her lips. She shakes her head, willing the blush to dissipate from her face. Why should she question this? Had she not been sharing her bed with Edelgard for all these months? Helping to keep the nightmares at bay? Being a stone amongst the squall of a raging sea? A mountain standing tall amongst harsh winds that blew across the land?

They move forward with plans, meet with Hubert again to discuss battle tactics. Edelgard suggests a name for their new group— _The Black Eagle Strike Force._ Byleth resists the urge to chuckle at the name, but concedes to it. These will be the roots for the future which lies before them all. Edelgard only seems to glow with her approval.

They lie together that night in the darkness of the private quarters reserved for the new Emperor and her beloved professor. The woman who has followed her, _believed_ in her, despite how reckless all her actions or decisions might have been. Byleth is removing her boots, pulls a strand of hair into view as she observes the green shade that has overtaken her solid blue. The power of the Goddess flows through her veins, surely all who look at her will know this now. Edelgard regards her with a bit of hesitance, just as before. It’s strange how cavalier her teacher has been given all that has happened.

In the dim light of the lantern, Edelgard’s eyes meet Byleth’s and she just stares at her teacher for a moment. Should she ask her to turn around as she always did? Or should she finally… on this night … _bare_ her scars to her? Let her see what lay hidden beneath these clothes that she wore as a barrier against the world? Byleth is waiting for Edelgard to act. She would let her student decide on how things would go for the night. Edelgard’s hands, still clothed with those pristine white gloves of hers, grip tightly as the front of her jacket and she shakes her head. _No_. She can’t do this tonight. She asks for Byleth to turn around as always and sets about undressing.

When she sits down on the makeshift cot, the luxury of proper beds forgotten for the moment, Edelgard presses her back against Byleth and slumps her shoulders. She can’t bare her scars, but perhaps, she can relax her stone cold persona in this moment. The words are caught on Edelgard’s lips as she struggles to _finally_ try to say them. She doesn’t know what tomorrow will bring. Will she live? Will she die? Will Rhea prevail and her dreams of liberating this world from the church go up in smoldering flames?

Byleth turns around, links her arms around Edelgard and pulls her close. What if they only had tonight? What if they were both going to die tomorrow and all those words left unsaid were lost to the winds of time? The light in the lantern illuminates the softness of Edelgard’s hair as she gazes up at those blue eyes baring down on her in return. _I thought I was going to lose you… and here you are. Still. At my_ ** _side_** _._

Byleth kisses her, tips her chin just so, softly. She pulls back to gauge her student’s reaction. Should they really be doing this? Was Edelgard even of the same manner of thought as she in this current moment? Edelgard leans forward and Byleth descends for another kiss, pushes her student beneath her as the sheets fall off her shoulders. The light in the lantern flickers as Byleth’s hands descend down the length of her body and those blue eyes search her for some type of acceptance. Was she okay with this? Edelgard glances toward the lantern and then back at Byleth. If they were going to do this … Byleth was going to see _everything_ wasn’t she? _Can …we please extinguish the light?_

In the darkness of the camp, Byleth muffles the sounds that come from Edelgard’s mouth with her own, as her fingers dip into the parts of the Emperor untouched by no one else. Byleth can’t see the scars, but she can _feel_ them. Long, jagged, thick. Some are shallow, some deep and hardened. She takes note of them, but for Edelgard’s sake, cares nothing for making their existence known. In the morning, there is a deep and red blush on her student’s face and Byleth just smiles in her soft way again— _Come, we must go to battle and let fate decide where our future lays._

Everything is wrong… so _very_ wrong. Edelgard can feel her world crumbling around her as Byleth disappears from view, and Hubert pulls her away to safety. No. _No_. She can’t leave. She _can’t_ leave me like this. Edelgard is desperate as she calls Byleth’s name over and _over_ again, but it won’t change anything. Byleth’s last images before she falls into a long, five year sleep, are the tears in Edelgard’s eyes as she desperately tries to reach for her...

…And she comes back to life on the day of what would have been the Millennium Festival. Byleth stumbles her way through the old church, tries to find remnants of her previous life in what lies in this current present.

She stands idle in the courtyards, staring up at the grey and cloudy sky from which no rain falls. Still, too quiet. Byleth begins wandering through the hallways, takes in the tattered banners that used to litter the halls, dust, soot and grime. Were they even _here_? Had she made a mistake? Her blue eyes worry as she ascends to the highest point of the chapel hoping to find _something_ and then...

There she is.

Older, of course. Gone is the uniform of her student days, she’s dressed in something redder, more regal, befitting of an Emperor. Byleth can see something different in her stance. Edelgard is prouder, not much taller, but more defined. She steps forward, trying to think of some way to begin this reunion. But, Edelgard turns to address her first—who would _dare_ try to sneak on her when she’s attending to such important affairs?

...Byleth watches the way that those lavender eyes light up with fury—and then soften as she tries to come to terms with what exactly she’s seeing. Byleth. Her _teacher_. This must be a dream of some sort? Byleth shakes her head. No, _Edelgard._ I’m real this time.

Edelgard relays her feelings of guilt, how … _broken_ her heart was at Byleth’s supposed demise. Byleth can hear the emotion building in her voice, as if she’s trying to hold back tears that she’s long since shed. But, she can feel them coming back again—because _she’s_ here. _I was alone. …I was_ ** _so_** _alone._

 _Do you … still feel the way you did all those years ago_? Is she speaking of Byleth’s affirmation to stay, to _fight_ continuously at her side? Or is she speaking of other things? Feelings? Emotions? Things that she’s always kept hidden. Things neither of them have ever admitted to one another? Will she stay? Will she still _fight_ at her side? But, does it really matter? She’s here again… and Edelgard can perhaps relax, finally knowing that _she’s_ back. Edelgard wraps her arms around her, buries her face into the warmth of Byleth’s chest and squeezes her with all she’s worth. Please. _Please._ Return to my side again, my teacher, and help me _win_ this accursed war. 

Her students bring her back into their fold, cheers and proclamations of happiness echo throughout the room. Caspar blabs more than Edelgard wants to let on— _You must be happier than all of us combined. She took it really hard when you disappeared, Professor._ And, of course, Byleth already _knows_ these things without Edelgard having to say them. The blush and shy look that comes to Edelgard’s face is perhaps a hint to Byleth that those words will be shed soon. But, now is not the time. There is a war for them to fight, a _war_ that must be won.

On their first night alone, Byleth asks her— _Do you still have nightmares?_ Edelgard’s face is unreadable. I don’t really dream of my past anymore… but I had nightmares of you when you were gone. You were missing for _so_ many years, my teacher. And I, so desperate, just to _find_ you again. Do you know what you are to me? You are my anchor. Something to keep me grounded in the storm that swirls so harshly all around me, _all_ the time. And now that you’re back… perhaps _those_ nightmares will go away as well.

A blanket of red covers the land, almost as red as the dress that Edelgard dons in the five years marking Byleth’s disappearance. They fight with old companions and Byleth feels some remorse as the Sword of Creator carves a path of revolution for her _and_ Edelgard. When Claude crosses paths with them once again, Byleth can feel her still and unbeating heart catching in her throat. They’ve spilled the blood of so many innocents… she doesn't know what she will do if she has to fight _him_ of all people. And yet, Claude concedes defeat. In this one moment, perhaps both Edelgard and Byleth breathe a sight of relief that they won’t have to challenge everyone that used to live so harmoniously with them in the past.

The days pass the same. Blood and war, blood and war, broken swords, broken spines, the rolling of heads beneath their blackened boots. Byleth finds herself growing numb to the feeling of death and destruction. She watches Edelgard listening to Hubert and wonders—how in the _world_ has she carried on for so long? Edelgard catches her looking at her and simply nods her head in affirmation. Hope? Was it the hope that one day that Byleth would return to her side again and she would finally have the last piece she needs to end this godforsaken war? Byleth steels herself and pushes the thoughts out of her mind. If Edelgard had lived through five years of this, she would do what she could to carry on as well.

One day, after a briefing with Hubert in the Knight’s Hall, Byleth finds herself pacing the steps near the dormitories in order to clear her thoughts. As she passes by Edelgard’s room, she’s startled by the sound of something familiar. Almost the same as five years ago, but … more surprise. Not one of pain and anguish. Edelgard. What could possibly be wrong now?

As she rushes into Edelgard’s room to find the Emperor with a look of disdain on her face, Edelgard seems slightly embarrassed at the sight of her teacher entering without knocking. What was she hiding? Byleth glances about the room for a minute and then looks back at Edelgard. After assessing that Edelgard’s not currently being plagued by nightmares or attacked by some assassin, Byleth seeks to lighten the mood and distract the weary Emperor— _That was a cute shriek._

Edelgard’s eyebrows furrow, obviously perturbed. Cute? _Cute?_ Did Byleth just refer to her as _cute_? Was she mocking her? Did she think this was funny? Byleth continues with her teasing— _Really, very cute—_ and it only seeks to increase Edelgard’s ire. The Emperor of Adrestia wasn’t _cute_. Sure. She enjoyed her sweets and stuffed animals from time to time—but _cute_. The absolute nerve of Byleth right now. And yet, as angry as she tries to appear, the blush slowly building on her cheeks says otherwise.

Regaining her rational side again, Edelgard’s expression softens as she confesses to Byleth … that she’s afraid of rats. They remind her of the time beneath the palace… and she just _can’t_ stand the sight of them. Brings back too many memories of a time when she didn’t believe she was going to…

The frown deepens on her face again as Byleth tilts her head in silence pondering. _Do you still have those nightmares, Edelgard?_ Edelgard lowers her gaze, as if she’s fighting with herself to tell Byleth the truth… or if she should lie about what’s really been going on. She had told Byleth she had nightmares of Byleth’s demise… but the past was the past, right? She wasn’t a child anymore. Please, let no one think of her as a _child_ anymore.

As she let’s Edelgard take a minute to compose her thoughts, Byleth’s attention drifts elsewhere in the room. To Edelgard’s desk. What was _that_ paper over there? That looked like … was that _her_? A drawing of _her_ on Edelgard’s desk? Edelgard is startled out of her reverie and her panic seems to only increase when she realizes that Byleth is looking at that _God_ -awful drawing that she had been working on for days now. Her emotions spiral, she’s waving Byleth out of her room. Get _out_. Excuses of Hubert needing her, changing her clothes. _P_ _lease_ leave already before I embarrass myself even more than I already am. Byleth finds the door unceremoniously slamming in her face and she tries to pry just a little further… but Edelgard won’t let up.

The snafu is forgotten after a little while. But, Byleth’s is still curious. What _else_ has Edelgard drawn? Was that the only picture? Or were there _more_? She decides to leave it be, she was already embarrassed enough.

In brief moments of respite that have, Edelgard shares her loathing for her duty—as she once did all those years ago. They converse about things. Byleth’s talent for tactics, Edelgard’s reaffirmation that she’s still so _glad_ to have Byleth by her side again. …She calls Byleth … _detached_ and its Byleth’s turn to feel a little slighted by the way Edelgard has regarded her. However, Edelgard admits that perhaps they are one in the same. After all, so long ago she had experienced Edelgard’s detachment… wanting to be closer and yet holding her at arms length for the sake of duty. …What were they _now_?

 _Friends_. Edelgard seems to take issue with this assessment of their relationship. It doesn’t fit. They’re more than friends. Was she finally going to admit to…

…No. She doesn’t say it. But, she tells Byleth to start calling her _El_ , of all things. Perhaps she wanted to do this before. A long time ago before Byleth disappeared from her life for _five_ long years and she fought— _struggled_ —to keep herself together for the sake of her life’s mission. Byleth takes note in the meaning of this request. Those who were most important to Edelgard, long dead and gone, once called her by this name. And now, no one is left to…

Edelgard’s voice grows softer as she tells Byleth how much it would mean to her to do so. Byleth questions her, and Edelgard gets seemingly flustered as she turns away from Byleth and tells her again— _you are_ ** _more_** _than a friend to me._ But she still won’t say those words. …She’s like _family,_ instead. Edelgard glances at Byleth, knowing damn well that’s _not_ what she means at all. There’s a long pregnant pause and then Edelgard shakes her head as she turns her back to the mercenary behind her. Perhaps, they should speak of this no more. There are things they have to get back to—tactics to discuss—is that Hubert calling for them for another war room meeting?

The beginning of the end is found in the never-ending rain of the _Tailtean Plains_. As with Claude, they finally face Dimitri to destroy another relic of calmer days long since passed. Edelgard strikes him down, his blood flowing like a river at her feet. She lifts her eyes up to the heavens and allows the rain to wash away the tears gathering in her eyes. Her lamentations of all the lives lost… Byleth stands at her side and notes the way in which she won’t meet her eyes. _Are you crying_? Edelgard deflects. No. That Edelgard died a long time ago. She doesn’t exist anymore … although Byleth believes otherwise. Edelgard turns to look at her, as worry and stress bleed from every fiber of her being. _Please, Byleth. Stay at my side._

The war finally brings them to the end of their long and arduous crusade—Fhirdiad, the Kingdom Capital. Standing poised in the Imperial Army encampment, Edelgard seeks Byleth out one last time before they take their battle to the person they’ve been seeking to kill all this time—Rhea. Why did Byleth choose _her_? She has the power of the Goddess flowing through her veins… wouldn’t it have made more sense for her to walk with Rhea? Tear down Edelgard’s assault on the church and all that it stood for? That same worrying look of sadness comes to Edelgard’s eyes again… why must she always question why Byleth _does_ these things for her? _I was overjoyed, but also confused_. There is so much sadness in those eyes. Did she really believe Byleth would leave her to shoulder this alone? _Edelgard… I …_

Edelgard takes a deep breath and finally admits— _I trust in you—_ even when Byleth always thinks otherwise. _I hope you know that you’re very special to me. I hope that I hold a special place in your heart as well. But regardless…_ Was that a confession after _all_ these years? No. She still stands there in front of Byleth. Still conflicted, still overwhelmed by the thoughts flooding her mind and threatening to spill out her mouth. But, she won’t allow them. Edelgard has _never_ allowed the truth of what she feels to come from those soft pink lips. As if she is afraid of what will happen when she finally says them. She cuts things short. It’s time. They have a war to continue, a battle to win.

Edelgard should be afraid, should be terrified to stand on this battlefield as things are. They’ve been through so much in the past five years that she can’t believe that things are finally coming to and end. After so much death, so much anger, so much _waiting_. She looks to Byleth and sees her carving out a path in front of Edelgard, turns over her shoulder to make sure she’s keeping up. _Let’s go, Edelgard. We’re almost there._

And so, they cut Rhea down with the last of their strength. Covered in dirt, bodies burning from overuse and duress. She looks to Byleth one last time, her green eyes just as focused and intense. Rhea is cut down, gasping her last dying breathes as blood oozes from the crown of her head. But, then Byleth falls … and Edelgard feels panic surging through every part of her body. Her legs are weak as she falls to Byleth’s side and shakes her head. _No… no, no, no._ Please. It’s not supposed to _end_ this way. The tears return when she realizes she can’t find her pulse… can’t _find_ her damn heartbeat.

She sits there, Byleth’s limp body in her arms and shakes her. Please, come back to me. I can’t do this alone. I _can’t_ go on without you in my life. Please, you don’t _know_ what you’ve given me and I can’t stand the thought of going back to the way things were. Please, _Byleth. Please_ , come back to me.

Edelgard hears a slight gasp of air coming from Byleth and she startles out of her melancholy, presses an ear to her chest in desperation. Was… is she… she’s _alive_. Realization dawns on her face and Edelgard pulls Byleth into her arms again, sobbing her eyes out at the thought that things _weren’t_ going to end like she thought they were.

The feeling of a beating heart is foreign to Byleth. She doesn’t quite know how to process things just yet. She feels something stir in her chest as she finds Edelgard at her bedside in the infirmary the next morning. Her façade, the detachment that had felt so natural to her all these years, seems to have disappeared over night. _Thump, thump, thump_. Like a jackhammer trying to drill its way through her ribcage and out of her chest cavity, so Edelgard can see just _exactly_ what she’s been feeling all these years as well. Edelgard looks just as banged up and exhausted as Byleth feels, but she manages a smile. They did it. They _finally_ did it.

They stand opposite one another in the Goddess’ Tower, a calm neither of them has felt for _so_ long rushes into the crevices and spaces that surround them. Edelgard’s expression is still stony and focused as she turns to Byleth and whispers to her— _Humanity is free. The world is ours once again._ Is it truly? There’s still more work to be done after all. But, maybe, in this moment, they can just rest—for _once_ in their lives.

Edelgard’s expression shifts into something a little more uncertain. The world is theirs again, but she can’t do this alone. Now that the battle has finally been won and the leadership of the church absolutely decimated… would Byleth remain? Or would she take her leave and go somewhere else now that she had finally helped Edelgard in accomplishing her one and only goal? Edelgard tries to shake the worry from her features. Her words echo in Byleth’s head— _You chose to protect me at the Holy Tomb._ _Will you choose me again?_ —I … I **need** you, Byleth.

…She was finally going to say it after all this time, wasn’t she? She _needs_ Byleth. Her name— _El_ , this time—slips from Byleth’s lips as she reaches for Edelgard’s hand and presses her father’s old ring into her hand. Edelgard startles as she looks down at the ring, and then meets Byleth’s gaze again with understanding in her eyes. What had she feared after all this time? That Byleth would never feel the same? _Why_? What could have possibly caused such thoughts to enter her mind? _You were always all I needed._ The blush on Edelgard’s face only seems to intensify as she finally tells Byleth— _I always wanted to share what I felt for you._

They retire to the bedroom that night and Edelgard finally works up the courage to show Byleth what she’s hidden from her for so long. She finally removes her gloves and willingly exposes her hands to Byleth. In that moment, she decides to show her the remnants of her past—the one drawn with such a strong line of demarcation—one that had no _place_ in the world that she was trying to create. Edelgard looks up at Byleth, searching for some form of understanding, _acceptance._ Byleth traces the jagged markings on her hand, flips over her palm so she can run her fingers over the smaller cuts. She presses a soft kiss to the palm of Edelgard’s hand and looks up at her with earnest blue eyes—What _else_ do you want me to know, El?

Edelgard allows Byleth to continue the process of undressing her in the light of the rising moon. The scars on her hands ascend onto her arms. Byleth remembers these from those nights when they used to share a bed back in calmer days. Marred, crude and zigzagging shapes that stretch up over her forearms, scale along her biceps and end on her shoulders. There are larger ones on her legs, thick and pronounced, it’s almost as if she’s missing a portion of muscle on her right thigh. The last place Byleth finds herself gazing at is at the thick, patchwork of scars in the center of Edelgard’s chest. Edelgard seems to shirk back as Byleth’s gaze lingers and she places a gentle hand over the place where Edelgard’s heart is. _That one. That’s where they sealed the Crest inside of me._

While Byleth has her own scars of war from the battles that she’s waged as a mercenary, a professor, and the _right hand_ of the Emperor of Adrestia—none of them quite compare to the story that Edelgard has carved into her body. Edelgard lifts her gaze up to meet Byleth’s eyes as her hair falls around her, a milky halo—still an angel underneath all the blood that she’s spilled over these five long years.

Does Byleth… think her repulsive for the ghastly sight of her body? Does she _finally_ understand why she used to steal away into Byleth’s room, all those years ago, to find some solace in sleeping next to someone that represented a form of protection for her? Does… does Byleth finally know _why_ Edelgard always asked her to turn away from her when she got dressed? Why she always sought out the darkness and shunned the light? Byleth… _please_. Tell me this doesn’t make you think any differently about me… _feel_ differently about me now that you’ve seen the truth of my past?

Byleth presses a chaste kiss to those lips and shakes her head. No. This was never your fault. None of the circumstances of your life, Edelgard, were your fault. If anything, Byleth views them as strength. What horror this woman that she _loves_ had to suffer through, she will never know, never _understand_. And yet, all the reasoning for everything that she is, all that she’s ever done, is right there in front of her.

She takes her time with Edelgard that night. Kissing away the nightmares that still plague her even when she insists that they’re gone. Shows Edelgard the appreciation that she’s long deserved. Buries her face between those thighs of the Emperor, bowed down in reverence to show just how much she _worships_ her. Edelgard finally let’s go, allows herself to be _truly_ vulnerable in front of Byleth after all this time. Her muffled whimpers of climax slowly turn into slow sobs of relief, as Byleth holds her, and she realizes that all her worries have _finally_ disappeared. It’s time. She doesn’t have to be alone anymore.

Dawn breaks once again and Byleth wakes with the rising of the sun. Her first view of the morning, the woman that she’s chosen to spend the rest of her life with. She trails a finger down one of the scars on her arm as Edelgard slowly rouses from the depths of restful sleep. Edelgard, still somewhat self-conscious, follows the trail that Byleth makes with an idle finger, before looking up to meet her gaze again. Byleth pauses, let’s her hand descend to Edelgard’s cheek as she pulls her in for a slow kiss. Edelgard smiles softly in return and buries her face into the crook of Byleth’s neck.

It’s not long before Edelgard’s lulled back to sleep by the slow and gentle touch of Byleth tracing the circles and spirals of her scars. Satisfied, Byleth presses a kiss to her forehead, and falls back into the sheets to join Edelgard in the land of dreams. There was no rush to wake up just yet. They would enjoy this brief moment of peace; it had been so long after all.

_I look forward to starting our life together in the light of a glorious new dawn._


End file.
